70 years (Bucky Barnes X OC)
by vulcanchick1701
Summary: Why is love so important? Well to the common person it means that you respect them, care about them or it can be a feeling that comes in many forms. For Margo Whitty and Bucky Barnes, two souls separated by Hydra, it has such a deeper meaning. This is their love story that takes place Seventy years after their separation. Will their love for one another be enough to save him?
1. Reunion

70 years  
(Bucky Barnes X Margo Whitty)

Summary: What is the only thing that can transcend all of time and space? It can heal wounds or make them deeper, it can be the only thing worth fighting for sometimes…

 **LOVE**

Love  
Noun

An intense feeling of affection

A person or thing that one loves

Verb

Feel a deep romantic or sexual attachment

Margret Annabella Whitty has loved James Buchanan Barnes ever since they were in the fifth grade. They have been best friends for longer than anyone can remember. When he asked her to be his girlfriend one summer it felt like her dreams were finally complete. Sadly it seemed their dreams of having a normal life together were placed on hold when Bucky has to enlist in the American army. 107th division that camps in England. Everything they knew destroyed when that tragic day in 1944 happens. That was the day that Hydra would take an innocent boy from Brooklyn, who had dreams like any youngster, and shatter them because they ice over his heart and turn him into a weapon. What no one, but Steve and Bucky had known was that Margo had untold and very dangerous powers of the universe. What could she say… she was the child of a dying star?

After all the things that Margo and Steve face in this future time, they go on a mission to save and bring back their friend. Margo will have to fight to prove that love can transcend through all of time and space. She will have to prove to the world and to The Winter Soldier that her love for him can bring back the man that is hidden beneath his frozen heart. Margo will do anything now to restore Bucky Barnes the man that she would give up her life and her powers for. Will 70 years apart prove that love is still the strongest and most infinite thing in the universe?

A/N: Hey Everyone! I'm Bannergirl1218 and I'm trying a new style of writing by creating a book of one-shots that are related to these two wonderful characters! I hope you guys enjoy it and if there are hints towards a black journal *which there will be and you'll see them!* that will hopefully be hinting the prequel book called MARGO. Now there isn't any real timeline as most of these are little one-shots that aren't connected to one another except that they are moments when Bucky builds up his memory again. Some of these will contain flashbacks of the past and some of the thoughts of the different characters. I hope you guys enjoy this little book of one-shots. Thank you for being there for me and supporting me through everything guys!

Reunion

Present day  
Brooklyn, New York

12:30 am

She lied awake in her bed. Margret was exhausted, yet she couldn't sleep. Steve had told her not to wait for him tonight because he needed to do something, something that would be good for both of them. She wanted to force her eyes to close and stay shut, but alas that wasn't happening tonight. The young star had many things that rested in her mind, but there was one thought in particular that replayed like a broken record.

 _~Flashback~_

 _Steve had told her that she needed to go. Her best friend and guardian had been laid in the hospital to heal and rest after the horrific battle that took place over the Patomic River. After seeing him again under the mask and war paint, she understood why he had told her to go. At first Margret was hesitant to leave Steve's side out of fear that someone would hurt him or that she would lose him again and end up alone. She couldn't deal with being alone again._

 _Sam agreed to stay with Steve until she got back. To Margo that was a relief because she had grown to like Sam, he was a friend to her now and he stayed up with her on the nights that she couldn't sleep. She trusted him and Natasha, although her trust with Natasha had grown thin during this incident because she had almost betrayed Steve. Or maybe Margo didn't like it that another woman besides her old friend was kissing her best friend. She was still heartbroken at the fate that Steve and Peggy's relationship had faced, but unlike Steve she knew Peggy wasn't gonna stay young forever. She was happy that Steve still visited Peg while she still had a little time, but the doctors weren't sure how much longer she would actually have. None the less it had been one of the things that Steve and herself would do on a Saturday when there wasn't a life threatening situation happening._

 _The day in Washington was crisp, the cherry blossoms were blooming beautifully. Margo knew that it was the beginning of the tourism season because more people flocked the streets than usual. The sidewalks were lined with tour buses and there were children walking along with their teachers. Margo rode down the avenues and streets on Steve's Harley *because he always allowed her to use it when he wasn't around to use it* towards the national air and space museum. This museum was part of the Smithsonian, the largest museum in America, and they had recently updated the Captain America exhibit thanks to Fury, Steve and the remaining howling commandoes._

 _One of the main reasons that Steve had told Margo to come and visit the exhibit was because of something special that he had the researchers add about her and Bucky. She had been astonished that Steve had been able to do something like that for her, but then again they had once been high authority in Shield. That had been a time when everyone had been trust worthy including Brock Rumalow. A time before it had been known that Hydra had sunk their ugly tentacles into the only place that she had called home. Hydra had taken so much from her since the war. First they took the love of her life, Bucky Barnes, and they changed him into something that he wasn't. They almost took Steve from her and it had been lucky that he was a super soldier, able to survive normally fatal bullet wounds. Now Steve, Nat, Sam, and she were having to think about their next move because shield no longer existed. Margo knew that one day she would get her revenge, one day she would find Bucky and bring him home. Now she was on her way to see the one thing that would have to replace Bucky for a while, a memorial that honored the man that he had been, the man she knew and loved. To Margret that man was still alive and he needed help to break free._

 _Margo walked up the few steps that led to many glass doors. It had been obvious that security had picked up since the incident over the Patomic River. She stood in line and gently slipped off the metallic necklace that only left her neck thirteen times since she had received it from Steve. To Margo the dog tags that hung on her neck were so much more than metal. They marked her as the woman of James Buchanan Barnes, because back then Bucky didn't ever have the money for a real ring. Bucky had promised her that if they both survived the war and went home to Brooklyn, he would make her his wife, a promise that he never got to keep. The dog tags that bore his name were a strong memory for her and they gave her hope that every time she saw the Winter Soldier, she would have a chance to see Bucky again and bring him home. Margo didn't let anyone besides Peg or Steve touch the delicate and lightly rusted pieces of metal because she always feared that they would come to harm. They were after all, the only thing of Bucky's she had left to cling on to. Margo was thankful when it had been her turn to walk through the metal detector because she was getting back her possessions._

 _After she was sure everything had been checked and she had been cleared to enter she snatched the dog tags from the bin on the conveyor belt. Margo felt at home in this museum and many times she had been very glad that the exhibit had been placed in here and not in the American History museum. She loved the air and space museum because her biological family was basically in the name and she could marvel at all of the human endeavors in flight. Margo wandered around the bottom floor looking at the Apollo rockets and a few other interesting test rockets before she walked up to an electronic map that flashed many exhibits around the museum. She quickly pressed on the one that was shaped like Steve's shield and then watched as the display lit up showing her a quick route. She quickly took a picture of the route with her phone and then ran off in the first direction she needed to go. As Margo walked along the route she had been given she had noticed many people giving her smiles and some giving her thumbs up. She rolled her eyes knowing that in a public venue like this she was gonna be easy to spot even if she had her undercover clothes on. She ignored most of the people except a few children who wanted autographs, she always cared for children because she knew they looked up to her and the other heroes that she knew as her second family. The Avengers. She was actually surprised to see some of the youngsters wearing shirts that showed Bucky's face on them, something they most likely got at the gift shop. She felt the strings in her heart being tug when she would hear a little boy say "I wanna be just like him mama, I wanna be like Sargent Barnes when I grow up"._

 _Luckily it didn't take Margo long to find the exhibit she had been looking for. The opening of the exhibit was Steve's Vibranium shield, the pattern she was so accustom to seeing when mentioning her best friend. She walked through a hallway that showed pictures of Steve on his missions during the war, a video or two from the days when he was dancing monkey for the army, and picture of Steve before the serum. She smiled a little in nostalgia because she remembered so well that version of him. Steve didn't change much at heart even if he had grown stronger. She knew that they had made a bold, but perfect choice when he had been chosen as the test subject. Margo couldn't help, but chuckle when she saw young boys and girls compare themselves to the painted silhouettes of post serum Steve knowing all too well that most of them would have very good potential someday. After seeing the hallway of war memories she was greeted with the original outfits of the howling commandoes. She laughed to herself as she realized that Steve's original costume was the one that he stole not long ago, took the people long enough to see the naked mannequin. Her mood turned more somber as she neared the other costumes, Bucky's being at the front. She knew very well that the uniform the mannequin wore was not the original though, she had seen him leave in that uniform for the last time in 1944. Hydra destroyed the original copy of that uniform when they took him into their clutches and broke him. She then collected herself after she had gazed at the familiar blue coat and brown pants, taking a breath she looked around until she saw a room in the back corner of the exhibit. "The Howling Commandos: Captain America's loyal and brave team" was painted in white letters above the door. She quickly scrambled towards the room almost sensing that this was where she would find everything she wanted to know about her beloved._

 _The room was simple, just the way that the Howling Commandos liked their barracks. There were small exhibits for each of her old buddies that she had grown to love because of Steve and Bucky. She promised herself that she would visit those exhibits after she was done with reading and looking through Bucky's. The first thing that she saw was the green uniform. The uniform that she had wanted to so desperately tear off of him because it showed off every inch of his perfectly built figure. The uniform that he had worn the last night that he spent in Brooklyn with her and Steve, the night she had signed up for the SSR because of Peggy. Margo placed her hand against the glass and felt a few lone tears fall to her cheeks at the memory. At the apartment she owned that was across from Steve's, she owned a picture of them together that night. The museum had a copy of the exact picture and now she was looking straight at it. She looked down at the dog tags dangling from her neck and then placed her lips against the cool metal. "I wish you remembered me my beloved" she whispered before she moved on to the next part of his exhibit. She looked into the little screen and pulled on the headphones. There on the screen was a scratchy black and white clip of Steve, Bucky, and herself messing around at the old tavern that rested not far from the army base in Italy. She remembered watching Bucky compete against the other Howling commandos in drinking games, arm wrestles, and foolish events because they were all just boys at heart. The night always ended with Bucky and the guys singing old drinking songs like '99 bottles of beer' or 'the drunken sailor'. She would belt out the chorus lines with them because they treated her and Peggy like their sisters in arms, and when the moon was high in the starry skies she would fall asleep in Bucky's arms. Something that she hadn't felt in over seventy years, a feeling she feared she may never get to experience again._

 _She then saw a heart shaped carving in the concrete wall. In the heart was a small paragraph explaining to those who were interested, about the love she and Bucky had for each other. In the end it had read "love will last until the end of the line, there will never be a love more legendary than theirs". This had been what Steve had wanted her to see. Below the heart was a special book where couples from every place around the world, from all walks of life came and signed in dedication to them. Margret knelt to the ground because she could no longer stand. She buried her face in her hands and began to cry. For once in over seventy years she finally allowed herself to mourn. She hugged her arms into her chest and whispered "Bucky come home. Come home". She was oblivious to the tall figure that had stood not far from her and was reading about them until she saw his shadow cast on the floor. Margo was a bit startled by the shadow and quickly wiped her eyes, feeling very embarrassed that she cried in front of so many. She turned to walk away from the person so that she could regain her bearings again, but as she looked up she saw a strangely familiar face. The man had a thickening beard growing on his squarish jaw, his hair long and grizzly. He wore beat up jeans, a reddish looking undershirt, a brown leather jacket, a dark baseball cap, boots and a pair of thick gloves. Margo moved to the side for a moment as she had quickly realized that the man had not noticed her yet and studied him trying to figure out why this stranger was familiar. Then she saw the most beautiful, yet worn and tired set of blue eyes that she had ever seen. Those eyes told her exactly who this mystery man was because she had only seen those eyes on one man. James Buchanan Barnes._

 _She was almost afraid to speak, but something told her she needed to. Was he still the Winter Soldier? Would he still try to kill her? Well she figured that if he was reading about them, about himself, he wouldn't be there to kill her on sight anymore. "B-Bucky…" she spoke softly causing the man to jerk his head around to look at her. His eyes were now full for fear and confusion as he looked her up and down. Margo raised her hands up to show that she was not a threat to him, but still the man did not say a word to her. Suddenly out of nowhere he began to run away from her, but she knew when she looked into his eyes that he was conflicted very deeply. "Bucky wait!" She shouted loud enough to get his attention, but not the attention of everyone else in the room. Margo cursed herself because she couldn't use her powers to catch up with him, which would be a breach in her true identity. She quickly sprinted after him knowing deep down that it wasn't any use to her because he was a super soldier like Steve. She was left in another crowd of people trying to catch her breath, but sadly he had disappeared again in the huge crowd of tourist. It was like Natasha had said to describe him, he was a ghost that you only saw a few times and then he would disappear like he hadn't even been there. "Bucky…" she croaked out looking every direction, but having no such luck to find him. She was quiet for a moment before she looked down and realized that he had left behind one of his gloves, she only hoped that it wasn't the one covering his metallic limb or he'd never be able to get out of the museum. She took the glove and shoved it into her jeans pocket and then went back into the room that held the Howling Commandos exhibits._

 _Later that same day she returned to the hospital to see Steve and Sam. She was as pale as a sheet as she walked into Steve's room. Steve was the first to notice and furrowed a brow at the look of his friend. "Powerful huh?" Steve asked trying to be a bit playful, but after Margo didn't answer Steve grew concerned and so did Sam. "Margret what's wrong?" Steve asked seriously as he tried to sit up and look at her. Silent tears slid down her face as she placed the glove on Steve's table, her eyes staring off at a random object in the distance. "I saw him Steve. I saw him" She whimpered and felt Sam's hand lightly rub circles on her lower back in comfort. "Who Margo? What happened?" Steve asked getting more worried for the girl and looking into her eyes trying to get answers. "I saw Bucky. I saw him today Steve at the exhibit… he looked so lost and afraid. He was so broken and he didn't look like the monster that Hydra once made him. He was so alone, but when I tried to talk to him he ran from me" She cried. Sam held out his arms and took her in them as she sobbed, Steve looking at her with sorrow and concern. "Margo…I'm sure he didn't mean to run from you… he must've been there for a reason…don't worry Margo we'll find him. I promise that we'll bring Bucky home" Steve said after a moment sounding more confident than he actually was. "How can you promise that Steve? We may never find him again and even if we did what's to say that we'll ever have our Bucky Barnes back?" Margo answered though her voice was muffled by Sam's T-shirt. "We won't know Margo, but we gotta try right?" Steve asked giving her a small smile. Margo nodded a little and then went over and hugged her best friend. "For Bucky I'll always try" she answered wiping away her tears._

~End of flashback~

Margo was brought out of her thoughts by a creaking sound that came from the front door. The woman was a bit afraid and she felt her heart begin to race against her rib cage. Margo grabbed her flashlight and slipped the switch blade knife that she hid beneath her pillow into the waistband of her sleep pants. She was quiet as she slowly got up from her bed and went to her door. "Are you sure that she'll even want to see me anymore? I tried to kill her on multiple occasions and I'm almost sure that she'd hate me for that" A male voice whispered causing her to jump a little and then slide against the hallway wall. "I'm sure she will, she still loves you and she has been crying each night because she wanted to have you back home with us" she heard Steve say which made her furrow a brow as she slinked down the hallway. "Steve?" Margo whispered, but then the sounds stopped and she couldn't hear anything. Margo rushed to the living room and quickly flicked on her flashlight waving it frantically and trying to figure out what was going on.

Suddenly she saw a glint of metal under the beam of light. She felt her heart leap as she gently let the light trail up the metal until it shined on the familiar face that she had seen once before. "AAAHHHH!" Margo screamed falling back onto her butt and scrambling to get her knife out of her waistband. She had experienced this unsavory encounter before with the winter soldier when he broke into the apartment and tried to murder her. She was shaking as she slowly got onto her haunches and held out the switch blade towards him, her face tightened and she tried not to show the absolute fear that she was feeling. The heartache was not so easy to mask though because Margo didn't like that she couldn't trust the man that she loved, that she had to hold a knife on him. "What do you want? If you're here to kill me soldier that won't happen and you know it!" she growled clenching the knife and her flashlight. "MARGO! EASY MARGO!" Steve shouted and quickly raced to turn on the lights in the room. Bucky slowly held up his hands to show her that he wasn't trying to be a threat to her safety this time. "Huh? Steve what's going on?" Margo asked sternly as she loosened her grip on her knife as the familiar super soldier moved out from behind the other. "He's not here to hurt us Margo. Look at him and tell me that he wants to hurt you… he needs me. He needs YOU… please Margo look into his eyes and tell me that you saw this same man at the museum because I know you did" Steve answered frantically. Margo sighed and took the knife and threw into the wall to her left, her shoulders slumped as she studied the man before her.

There she stood looking straight at the man that she had been looking for in over seventy years. Steve noticed the silence between the two and gave a small nervous smile. "I'll leave you two alone now huh? I've gotta be at the tower tomorrow because I've got a debriefing to go over. See ya tomorrow Margo and Buck" Steve spoke and then snuck past Bucky and then slinked down the hallway. Margo gave Steve a look that said "Really? Are you really doing this to me? Thanks a lot Rogers" as he passed her. Margo then looked back over at the silent soldier seeing sadness dust his dull, grey-blue eyes. Their eyes met for a moment and Margo felt guilt wash over her as she looked in the corner of her eye and saw the knife again, she had intended to stab the one man she loved all because she had been afraid. She carefully took a step closer to the familiar man watching as it didn't bother him in the slightest. "I don't expect you to remember…" she started looking at the floor now and finding that it was difficult to look at him. He stepped closer to her as well and looked at her for a moment. Bucky was still trying to think about the right thing to say to her, but it felt like the first time he told her loved her. His heart was beating at an unsteady pace which felt strange since he hadn't felt this in so long. "T-that's the thing… out of all the things that they forced me to forget there were two people that always came back. Steve and Margret…" He spoke softly. His voice was music to Margo's ears and her cheeks were beginning to dust with a bright pink, but she was trying so hard to hide it. "You're name is Margret Annabella Whitty and you're the daughter of a dying star. You love to dance, but you hate pistachio Ice cream. When you try to sing anything, but drinking songs you sound like a cat that got run over" Bucky replied looking at her in the eyes. She looked at him in complete shock and realized something quickly. The knowledge that he spit back at her was not knowledge that anyone would've known by just reading the information in the museum. Only the Avengers and the real Bucky knew of her true disgust of pistachio ice cream. She gasped a little slowly took another step closer to him. "Bucky… is that really you?" She asked hesitantly. The soldier nodded slowly watching her with quizzical eyes. She ran to him and wrapped her arms around his torso hugging him tight and burying her face into the crook of his neck and sobbing. He was hesitant at first to return the affection as he was afraid of hurting her with his metal arm. Finally after a moment he pulled her closer to him and lightly laid his head on top of hers. "I missed you so much Bucky, I thought I would never be able to hug you again… I thought I lost you forever" Margo sobbed making Bucky's heart slowly crack in two. He was quiet for a moment as he held her close to him and lightly used his human hand to run down her back. "I…I'm sorry Margo…" he croaked trying to hide the tears that were begging to break free. Margo looked up at him and gently she rested a hand on his scruffy cheek. "Don't be James… this wasn't your fault and you didn't deserve this fate" she whispered staring into his eyes and lightly letting her fingers trace his skin. He seemed to lean into her touch and she could see a lone tear roll down his battered face. "I did so many terrible things Margo…things that are unspeakable and things I didn't want to take part in. The worst part was watching the people that you cared about become afraid of you. I'm sorry for hurting you and I'm sorry for running away…I basically left you" He whispered leaning his forehead against hers. "You didn't have a choice James, you did what they told to do because they brainwashed you. That wasn't you and it never will be in my eyes because I know you and you are better man than that" she said sternly and placed a small kiss on his cheek. Bucky's blue-grey eyes widened a little at the small gesture, but then his whole body relaxed because it had felt so familiar and normal for her to be doing it. He grew a tiny hint of a smile on his lips and Margo mirrored it with her own. "Bucky can I show you something?" Margo asked watching as pink dusted his cheeks. "Um…Uh sure I guess…" he trailed off trying to hide the nerves that caused his stomach to want to do flips. Margo chuckled and took his flesh hand in her own and then pulled him out onto the balcony that the apartment had.

The night air was cool, something that contrasted with the daytime. The city was illuminated with bright lights, a sight that even Bucky remembered from a time long ago. The sight of the city was something that stirred the memories from his past around a little which was why the super soldier had a face of confusion. The two stood out on the balcony letting the late night breeze brush over their shoulders and ruffle in their hair. Bucky was leaned against the black metal railing that prevented one from falling to their death almost seven stories below, his eyes were lazily scanning the night life though the rest of his face was transfixed with strain. Probably because he was trying to understand why this all was so familiar to him. Margo stood not far from him with her eyes closed as she tried hard to concentrate on what she was about to do. **Star light, Star bright, the first star that I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish that I wish tonight** Margo recited in Romanian. Bucky turned and looked at her seeing her body glow and then watching as a ball of light began to form in the palms of her hands. Soon the little ball of light came to life in her hands and she reopened her eyes. "Wanna hold her?" She asked with a warm smile on her face seeing her beloved look at her with surprise. "I guess so… I don't want to hurt her" he said shyly holding open his two palms in the exact way that Margo had done. "Oh don't worry you won't, she's like me Buck, you can't hurt a star" Margo chuckled watching as the little creature floated onto his open palms and purred up at him like a kitten. "See she likes you" Margo giggled and then closed her eyes again and repeated her spell in Romanian before yet another little star came to life in her hands. For the first time since she had seen him again Bucky was smiling a genuine smile. She watched as he cradled the little star in his hands like it was his own daughter. "Ok Buck before we let them go we get to name them, so since you have the little girl you can name her anything that you want" Margo explained watching as Bucky began to hold his palms up towards the sky. "I think I'll name her Margret because she's beautiful and she looks like she could be a very strong little star" Bucky answered looking over at Margo and making her cheeks grow very pink. Bucky laughed a little waited for her to name the other star that she held in her hands. "Well this little boy will be named after my best friend, he means so much to me and I don't ever want to lose him again. I'll name him James, but for short he'll be called Bucky" Margo said holding her palms up like Bucky and then together the two stars danced into the sky. They floated for a few minutes and then turned into bright comets. The two stars whizzed into the sky to join their many brothers and sisters, both ready to help brighten up the world. Bucky lightly took Margo's hand in his own and looked over at Margo with a loving look. "Thank you" he said simply and then leaned in a placed a small kiss on her forehead. "Well I'm gonna say it because it's the truth…I don't know how you feel yet, but I would do anything for you because I love you Bucky" Margo replied turning to look at him and then she hugged him again. Bucky hugged her back tightly and gently nuzzled her. "I don't know how to really say what I do remember, but I love you to Margo" He admitted feeling his heart soar into the night sky along with the two stars.

Suddenly Margo sprung up and felt extremely excited. "Bucky that's it! Oh I know something that I have that'll help you!" Margo shouted happily and bounced on her feet. "Wait right here I'll be right back" she squeaked and raced back inside the apartment. Bucky sighed and watched her with a bit of a playful smile on his lips. Yea that seemed familiar to, everything about her seemed to scream at him that she was more familiar than he quite comprehended right now. Bucky took residence on the wicker couch that sat out on the balcony and waited for her to return. Everything seemed to be a bit frustrating, but yet this felt right and he was damn sure that she felt right. The soldier rested his chin on his metallic hand and then stared out at the night covered city again. He closed his eyes again for a moment and it seemed like he felt the flashes of memories trying to break through. Steve had been right all along, this was what he needed and for once in almost seventy years James Buchanan Barnes felt like he belonged.

Bucky was brought out of his thoughts again by the sudden patter of feet on the concrete floor behind him. He turned his head a little to see Margo sitting down beside him with a medium sized, black book. She looked into his eyes with a warm smile on her face and gently placed the book in his hands. "Lucky stars brought me a handsome guy like you. This is my old diary Buck, in this book are memories from our old life that start from my thirteenth birthday and the last entry is the night before you left with Steve on that train mission" Margo spoke and looked at the floor. "Thank you Margo… I didn't know that you actually took record of those days" Bucky replied sounding a little surprised. Margo nodded a little and gently took the dog tags off from around her neck. "Ma always said that the most important events in your life should be recorded because one day they may become more important as memory. I… Uh… I think these belong to you Buck" Margo said holding out the chain with the two tags that looked like they had in the war. Bucky carefully took the tags in his flesh hand and studied them. "You kept them? My tags?" He asked looking at her with a small tear rolling down his cheek. Margo carefully wiped away the bit of water and nodded with a weak smile. "Steve gave them to me when he returned because he said that you told him to. I kept them because they gave me hope that maybe you weren't dead or at least if you truly were I would have a piece of you to hang on to. These tags reminded me that there was still a man in there behind the winter heart. A man that I love more than every star in the universe… my fiancé" She whispered looked down again, her cheeks turning a deep crimson. Bucky looked at the tags again and then he carefully took her hand in his flesh one and gently placed the dog tags back into her hand closing her fingers around them. "Keep them, wear them for me. You're one of the only ones that believes in me and I'm not letting you go again. I may not have had a ring for you then, but these tags were a symbol that claimed you…" He said softly and brought the back of her hand to his lips giving it a gentle kiss. Margo blushed a little more before attacking him in another hug and burying her face in his shoulder. "Thank you Bucky" Margo sighed feeling his arms wrap around her protectively. "For what?" He asked chuckling a little and resting his head atop hers. "For coming home" She said softly pulling back just a little so that she could see him again.

After about an hour of the two sitting outside in the cool night air and talking about the things that Bucky began to remember Margo began to get very sleepy. Bucky couldn't help, but adore how innocent she looked when she fell asleep on his shoulder. The soldier didn't want to wake the sweet girl that was asleep on his shoulder, but he had a hunch that she would feel much more comfortable in her bed. Carefully he lifted her into his arms walked back inside the apartment. He made a guess about which door to go in by the decorations on the wood, luckily he had been right. Bucky laid her gently in her bed and then tucked the covers up over her. He watched her in peaceful slumber for a few minutes before getting the courage to press his lips to her forehead softly. "G'night my lucky little star" He whispered and gently pushed her hair away from her soft face. Just as he was about to leave he heard her stir and she opened her eyes again. "James please stay with me…" She whispered nervously hoping that he wouldn't sleep alone. Now it was Bucky's turn to blush as he studied her carpet for a moment and tried to think about what to do. He sighed a little and then gave in to his inner desire to hold her again. "Alright…I have to be careful though…" He whispered turning to look at her again. Margo nodded in understanding knowing that he must have nightmares still from the past. Something that to this day she wouldn't hold against him. Without another word she moved over so that he would have enough room to lay down next to her and then she watched him strip off his sweatshirt, baseball cap, and then take off his boots. He gently laid down on the soft bed beside her and laid so that his flesh arm was the one touching her, he was still afraid of his metal arm. Margo gently used his chest as a pillow and listened to the steady beating of his heart. Bucky was stiff at first, but when she didn't pull away or flinch from him he relaxed and loosely wrapped his flesh arm around her again. "G'night Soldier boy, I hope you have better dreams" Margo said softly and then closed her eyes. Bucky was silent for a few minutes and then he let out a sigh. "G'night Doll" he whispered back and shut his eyes giving a silent thank you to the girl in his arms. Margo had given him a whole new reason to fight winter, a new reason to break free from Hydra's grasp. He knew in his heart that he wasn't going to leave her again if he had the power. She might be a star from another world with the immortality of gods and myth, but that wouldn't stop him from keeping a vow to always protect her.


	2. Mission

70 Years

(Bucky Barnes X Margo Whitty)

 **A/N: Hello everyone I hope that you guys liked the first chapter of '70 years' if you're still reading then I want to thank you for continuing with this silly book. I just want to make a small shout out to Sebastian. It has been an outrage to many of us winter's children over what has went down the last few days. If you don't know what I'm talking about… Seb had to cancel at Chicago Wizard world comic con this year because of a movie that he was filming during the time that the con was going on. Now I understand from a fans point of view that you would be a little upset and maybe well disappointed, but this wasn't his fault because he was doing his job. Just because you want to see a specific actor who ended up not being able to come to the con does not mean that you send him death threats on Instagram. Please help us support Seb right now because he really could use the love to fight off the unnecessary and childish hate. Thank you again for reading and thank you all for helping us support Seb. Pass on this hashtag on your social media to spread the word. #sebsupport2016**

Mission

"Alright so this is what we have to do in order to stop Hydra's plan with their new 'Human farming' experiments" Steve announced as he stood in front of a screen. The screen showed the schematics for a base that Bucky less affectionately called "The Hole", a place that he had been sent to after they had made sure that his cybernetic arm had been working properly. Natasha was sitting on one side of the long table picking at her nails as she had already been given the briefing by Fury and decided she wasn't up to really hearing it again. Clint studied the map intently as he was the one that would be flying the Quinjet using the new and improved stealth technology. Margo and Bucky were sitting on the opposite side of the table from Clint and Nat, Bucky of course knew the place like the back of his metallic hand so the super soldier was staring off into space. Margo looked at Steve and leaned closer to Bucky, she had already felt his unease at this whole mission. He had expressed his concern towards it this morning during the morning jog with Steve. Sadly Margo knew that Buck wouldn't really have a choice, he had to go on this mission. He was the only one that would know how to navigate the base so that they could get the Intel and then blow the place out of the ground. "Margo you and Bucky will be going into the base and getting our Intel. Natasha and I will be covering you so you both need to be quick as you can, Clint you know what to do since you'll be the eyes in the sky" Steve said pointing to the positions on the map that corresponded with who needed to go where. "You got it Cap, we'll do our best. When are we leaving?" Margo asked turning a small gaze on Bucky. He had stayed silent the entire time and it worried Margo a little, then again he had been like this a lot since his return. She couldn't exactly blame him because he was still more skittish around the others, he was still afraid of winter and what he was capable of. "We'll leave for the mission at midnight tonight so that we can still be in the cover of darkness. You did say that some of your stronger abilities are at their peak during that time right?" Steve asked earning an affirmative nod from her. "Alright then gang, meeting disbanded, see ya in twelve hours" Steve said and then he exited the meeting room with Nat and Clint in toe.

Bucky sighed and slowly stood. He headed towards the door with Margo following close behind him. "Hey, you ok?" She asked him softly and moved to stand in front of him. Margo looked up into his gun metal blue eyes and saw many emotions flooding them. She was careful to place her hand on his cheek causing him to look at her. "You can tell me ya know. Wanna go to our room?" She asked softly, concern laced her voice and she felt his metallic hand lightly run over the hand she had on his cheek. After a moment he nodded in affirmative and gently wrapped his metal hand around her smaller one. Margo lightly squeezed his metal hand even if he couldn't consciously feel it and then she placed a small kiss on his cheek before leading the way to their room. The moment that they started moving she could feel him physically relax, a very good sign in her book, at least they didn't have to worry about it for another twelve hours.

Margo and Bucky reached their room without a word between them. At this point there really didn't need to be anything said for them to understand each other, it was just something the two had grown used to. Margo gently sat on their bed looking at a new photo album that they had been working on filling together. If Buck couldn't remember all the old memories he could begin to make newer, happier ones. Bucky came out of their bathroom a few minutes later placing the familiar black journal on the covers before he knelt down in front of Margo. Margo could see something stirring in his eyes as he looked at the floor for a moment and sighed. "Are you ok?" She asked softly lifting his scruffy chin with her hand delicately so that his gaze met hers. "Not really… I'm worried" He stated softly and gently let his metal hand touch hers that rested on the bed. "I'm a monster Margo, You and Steve are the only two that don't look at me that way, but I worry about a lot of things on this mission. One thing that scares me is that Hydra would do anything to get their slimy tentacles on you" He said softly. "Bucky I don't look at you like a monster because I know you. I know you very well and I know that Hydra can bring out the worst in you with only ten little words, but that isn't you that's their programming. You may not see that now, but one day I know that in your heart you'll see it like we do… you're James Buchanan Barnes. I know that you're afraid of this Buck, but they won't hurt me. Steve won't let that happen and I know you wouldn't either. I'm a very powerful being and when I'm the comet I can destroy worlds. All Hydra can do is destroy families" Margo answered sternly. "This isn't a contest Whitty" Bucky said with a small smirk beginning to paint his lips. "Never said it was Barnes, it's the truth though" Margo laughed and pounced on him. Bucky gasped for a moment as he fell onto his back and held Margo in his arms above him. The two just laid on the floor together for a few moments letting silence encompass them. Margo rested her head on his chest and closed her eyes as she began to concentrate on his heartbeat. She still had to get used to the fact that he was really there with her, that he wasn't going anywhere without her again. "I'm with ya 'til the end of the line pal" Margo whispered making Bucky smile a little and then she felt his lips touch her forehead. "Yeah I know you are, you always have been and for that I will always be grateful" Bucky said softly. "It'll be ok Bucky, if anything happens Steve will always have a backup plan" Margo said with a small smile. Bucky chuckled lightly and nodded. "He always does doesn't he, sounds like him… I think" He said and gently stood up again. After a moment of comfortable silence Bucky carefully laid down on the mattress beside his girl and sighed. "I guess I'm skittish because the last time I was there wasn't a good time… I barely can trust myself Margo, all they have to do is say nine words. Nine words in Russian that fit in a specific order… that's how they controlled me" He whispered and closed his eyes. Margo curled up in his side and rested her head on his chest. "How many people in the world actually know the words?" She asks softly running her hand along his metallic arm. "As far as I know at least ten. I had ten handlers although Rumalow and Pierce are dead and Zemo is put away so I guess only seven" Bucky answered quietly. Margo knew not to press her boyfriend further unless she wanted to make him uncomfortable so she decided that she would drop the subject. "We will find that god damn book and when we do you can be the one to burn it to ash, I promise you that Bucky. Now we should get some rest before we have to go" Margo said and gently she ran a hand into his long hair, gently pushing it out of his face. "Yea we probably should… though if I don't sleep don't worry about me, I'll be fine. I love you Margret" Bucky whispered and placed his chin atop her head. The super solider did what he always did when they went to sleep together, he wrapped his arms around her protectively and then pressed his lips into her hair.

 _ **Flashback**_

 _Blood dripped onto the cold cement. The blood was his own caused by a cruel hand. To say that Hydra was inhumane was an understatement, at least to him it was. James sat still in his dimly lit cage, his body littered with bruises and freshly made cuts created by a whip. For someone that was a prisoner of war he wasn't going down without a good fight. The memory of that day only five years ago was very sketchy to the young man especially with all of the times that they tried to force him to forget things. He remembered Steve screaming for him, reaching out to catch him, but then the creaking would haunt his mind as he thought about it. The ghostly pain of his missing flesh arm would return every time he tried to recall what happened next. Bucky would have rather died in the Alps then to live this torturous life. His life for the past five years consisted only of pain, torture, escape attempts, traveling to god knows where, countless tests, and so many nights without sleep._

 _He missed Margo and almost every day he thought about her hoping that he would eventually be found and brought back home. Yeah like that was gonna happen, the world must've already thought that James Buchanan Barnes was dead. His heart only broke further as he thought about the possibilities that were happening now. If Margo survived the war and went home would she have forgotten about him? Would she move on and marry someone else? Even if the thought made him sad he realized that if she did move on at least she would be happy. Margo deserved that and that was all he ever wanted for her. He thought about the worst part though to, what if she hadn't moved on? What if she was still alone mourning his death? Well if Steve wasn't dumbass enough to lose his life during the war maybe she wouldn't be completely alone. Bucky sometimes thought that he was delirious because of the tests they had performed on him. He would sometimes believe that he could hear Margo's voice in the air, but when he would look around to try and find her there was never anyone there._

 _Suddenly Bucky was drawn out of his inner thoughts when he heard many sets of boots coming towards his cell. He was always vigilant because he never knew what they planned to do to him next. One time he had awoken on the cold metal slab that was the lab table and he had found the metallic monstrosity jutting out from his left side. The sad thing was that it wasn't even the half of it, because his whole body always felt like it was on fire and he could almost say that a strange blue substance was to blame. "Good morning Sargent Barnes" A scratchy voice spoke from the shadows. Bucky already knew who the voice belonged to, that notorious bastard. "Morning? Well I didn't know it was mornin' Doc. What can I do for ya today? Blood-loss? Brain tests? Injections?" Bucky asked his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Vell I'm not sure you are avare, but your humor vill not survive long and neither vill your sarcasm. Get him ready for transport you idiots" Zola snapped tossing a dark glare towards Bucky and then walking to the side to reveal at least eight burley men. "Well geeze Doc, I didn't think I was that much a threat for ya, I'm flattered" Bucky spat growing tenser as they opened the cell door. "You vill learn to obey or you vill be punished sewerely" Zola said flatly watching as the men pulled a strait jacket over his head and then strapped his arms behind his back, which was a feat because his metal one was lethal and had already killed five men before. "Yeah right. All you guys ever do is use me, beat me, and torture me, all without a bedtime story to sleep on" Bucky said defiantly. After what he thought would be the end of their game of 'Tying up Bucky Barnes' they immediately pulled out a black, metal face mask. The mask was horrific and had many confusing straps that hooked to the back of one's head, it had six tiny holes that the wearer would use to breath and it covered the mouth and nose. Bucky looked at the mask feeling sick to his stomach and trying hard not to show them that he was afraid. Fear was a weakness that they would never get the privilege to see from him. They forced the mask onto his face covering up his mouth and nose, but his eyes could convey that he feared it. "Now that you have shut up ve can get you moving to your new home soldier. Goodbye Sargent Barnes, have a vonderful journey" Zola hissed with a sly look in his eyes. That was all Bucky could do to remember before he felt a sharp pain in the side of his neck and then the world went completely black._

 _ **~ End of Flashback~**_

"Margo this way" Bucky said quietly as the two wandered the icy hallways of the base that Bucky knew so well. "Where are we going Buck?" Margo asked quietly as she followed behind him and used her illuminate spell to help them see in the dimly lit corridor. "A science lab at the end of this corridor, they will have the target computers that we need to collect data from and destroy" Bucky explained having his dagger clutched tightly in his metal fist. The two continued walking trying their best not to make too much noise. Bucky paused in the middle of the corridor as he spotted two Hydra guards standing on either side of the large metal doors. "Блядь"* Bucky mumbled and quickly grabbed Margo with his metal arm, pulling her against one of the corridor walls. Margo looked up at him with surprise resting in her eyes, it was evident that she had been completely off guard. "Bucky what's wrong? What'd you see?" Margo whispered as she slowly caught her breath again. "Hydra goons are guarding the door. Ya think you can take 'em out?" Bucky asked peeking his head around the lip of the wall. "Of course I can, ya know from experience by now that I can knock anyone on their ass with my star dust punch" Margo said softly looking around the corner with him before ducking back around the lip and then thinking for a moment. "Ok I've got a plan, but that requires two things from you" Margo explains beginning to form the stardust in the palms of her hands into huge, hulk-like fists. "Ok what's that?" Bucky asked raising a brow and watching as she formed the painful fists. "First you might want to get outta sight because they shouldn't see you. Second ya might wanna cover your ears" Margo smirked earning a nod and a confused look from Bucky. Bucky climbed up on the little footholds in the wall. "Hurry Margo, I don't know how long I can hold this" Bucky hissed using his metal arm to hold himself against the wall.

Margo then walked out into the middle of the corridor and began to sing. "I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones, enough to make my systems blow, welcome to the new age, to the new age, I'm radioactive, radioactive" Margo belted out causing Bucky to groan and quickly cover his ear with his flesh hand and press his other ear against the wall. "Girl, who are you? What business do you have here?" The men demanded in unison, both pointing their rifles at her. "Well first I don't think I would be doing that with your guns boys, and second… well you're about to find out" Margo smirked. Both men began charging at her with their guns pointed, but before either had a chance to reach her she had punch them hard using her stardust fists. The first one fell flat unconscious, but the second didn't go down so easily. The second guard lunged at her with a dagger only for it to graze her shoulder. "Oh this one's a little fighter aren't cha?" Margo chucked and dodged his second advance on her. Quickly she swiped at the guard with her other stardust fist and finally knocked him out cold against the far wall. "Ok Winter coast is clear" Margo called over her shoulder as she walked towards one of the passed out soldiers and procured a security access card and a gun for Bucky. Margo heard Bucky land with a thud on the ground behind her. She turned to look at him for a moment and then tried to stifle a laugh as she saw him holding one of his ears with the heel of his metal hand. "Jesus I think my ear's still ringing Doll, that should be you're secret weapon" He said kneeling down to one of the guards and checking for anything he might need. "Sorry Bucky, but I told you that you might want to your ears" Margo said walking towards the door and swiping the key card. Bucky stood close behind her with his new weapon trained on any possible assailants that could've hidden behind the doors.

Luckily the lab had been empty when the two walked in causing Bucky to relax his grip on his gun slightly. Margo looked around in curiosity and slight disgust as she studied some of the open manuals. "Ya know Amy was created here" Bucky said walking over to the main computer in the center of the room and turning on the monitor. "Wait… Bruce Banner's Amy?" Margo asked him and cringed at the memories of watching him being tortured on the table before her. "Yea that Amy. I watched her being created because I was supposed to the security, funny ya know. Something of their own creation their afraid of because they don't know how to control it" Bucky answered bitterly. Margo walked over to stand behind him so that she could see over his shoulder, but when the login screen came up she quickly held out a gun towards the screen. "Zola!" She snapped defensively, her gun ready to shoot. Bucky raised his metal hand to the barrel of her rifle and slowly caused her to lower it. "Easy there Magnum PI it's just a computer program designed to protect Hydra agent's information. He's their version of a virus protection" Bucky said calmly and then he pulled out the little device from his back pocket so that they could wipe the data files and then copy them for Avengers records. Margo rolled her eyes still holding her gun steady by her side. "Do you even know what Magnum PI is? Besides you didn't see what Steve, Nat and I did at fort Lehigh back a few years ago" Margo grumbled indignantly. "James Buchanan Barnes. Codename, Winter Soldier" The mechanical voice of Zola said as Bucky entered his correct password into the computer. Margo shivered at the sound of the voice because she was still unsettled by it, but for Bucky's sake she let it go.

Suddenly the room was no longer quiet as a hydra soldier walked in on them. "WHO ARE YOU?" He shouted holding up his gun ready to shoot. "BUCKY!" Margo shouted nervously freezing in place and looking over at him. Bucky's head popped up from behind the monitor to see the attacker and soon regretted it. "WINTER? So you have returned as a traitor eh? You won't live long and neither will your little friends!" The Soldier threatened aiming the gun. "BUCKY NO!" Margo screamed and jumped in front of her beloved as the gun fired. Margo had taken a bullet that had been supposed to be for Bucky and now her abdomen was bleeding out on the cold tile floor. "Margo? MARGO!" Bucky shouted and quickly he removed the device and slipped it stealthily into his pants pocket. The super soldier knelt down to where the star laid on the ground and for the first time in over seventy years he felt his heart race in extreme anger. "Did you think you would escape us and live a happy life soldier? Your friends will die and you will be one of us again" The man laughed manically. Something in Bucky snapped as he gently leaned her against the leg of the computer desk. "You can hurt me, you can hurt innocent people, you can kill and recreate, but no one threatens or hurts the people I love!" Bucky growled and threw himself at the Hydra agent. The agent launched himself at Bucky as well in a counter attack, but it wasn't any good because Bucky was stronger and he pinned the other beneath him. "We will catch up to you one day soldier. HYDRA VILL RULE THE VORLD!" He shouted and then he bit down on a cyanide pill that hid in his cheek activating it. "YOU FUCKING COWARD!" Bucky yelled and then slammed his metal fist into the man's face. "Hail…Hydra" The man croaked out as he foamed at the mouth and then had uncontrollable seizures. In minutes the man that hurt his girl was dead, but the mission wasn't over yet. Bucky quickly scrambled back over to Margo and let relief wash over him as he saw that she was still awake. "B-Bucky d-did you g-get the target?" She sputtered as she fought to try and stand. "Yes I did, now stop trying to stand up like nothing happened. Margret you're hurt! Why did you do that?" Bucky snapped and lifted her into his arms. "BECAUSE I LOVE YOU AND YOU'RE WORTH TAKING A BULLET FOR!" Margo shouted and then fell into a coughing fit. Bucky instantly felt worse about snapping at her especially when a little bit of golden blood began to come out of her mouth. "Shh, easy now. I'm sorry ok just stay with me, don't you dare leave me, I already lost ya once" Bucky whispered sternly and held her close to his chest with his metal arm. Bucky used his flesh arm to use his communicator.

Bucky raced out into the corridor, as he got to the door he keyed the lock on it and then activated the timer on the computer so that it would combust and destroy it. The explosion shook the whole base, but it didn't faze him because Bucky had been through many encounters with explosives. The super soldier brought the communicator to his lips as he ran with the wounded star towards the main entrance. "Steve. Come in Steve" Bucky said into the communicator. "Buck? Did ya get the information and destroy the computer?" Steve asked on the communicator. Bucky felt his heart race even faster than before as he brought the communicator to his lips again. "Yea, but not without casualty. A Hydra goon caught us and Margo got shot in the stomach. She's in urgent need of medical attention" Bucky answered trying to keep his voice level and calm. "Alright head out and Clint will come down and get you two, Nat and I will join you shortly" Steve said sounding a bit glum about the situation. "Will do Cap, over and out" Bucky answered sharply and then shoved the device into his butt pocket. "B-Bucky I-I'll be fine" Margo rasped as she fought to keep her eyes open. "I wouldn't call a bullet to the stomach being fine Doll face" Bucky answered thankful that she was still talking to him. "Trust me" she rasped again and rested her head on his shoulder. "I'll try doll, but you gotta stay with me, don't cha dare leave me!" He exclaimed as he ran through the open doors and out into the snowy tundra that was Siberia.

Bucky had met the Quinjet out in the snow, thankful that Clint was so steady and also so quick. He walked up the ramp with Margo held tightly in his arms, but now she was scaring him because she was no longer awake. He knew the worst part was that Margo didn't have a heart therefore there was no pulse for him to check. "Just lay her in the back there Bucky. I think there's a medical kit and a few other things that you can use to stop the bleeding" Clint called from the pilot's chair as he kept his eyes out for Steve and Natasha. "Thanks Barton" Bucky answered with a grunt and then carried Margo to a medical bed in the very back of the Quinjet. He gently laid Margo on the bed and then searched in the overhead cabinets to find medical tools for minor injuries and patch ups. He sighed to himself "Have to do" He mumbled under his breath as he pulled out antiseptic and a few cloths so that he could stop the bleeding from her abdomen. Bucky gently pressed down on the wound only to see her eyes shoot open. It caught the super soldier off guard and caused him to stumble backwards and forcing him to land on the opposite bed. He watched her for a moment and then slowly stood and looked down into her eyes studying the strange coloration of the irises. "Ok golden irises… is that good or bad?" Bucky asked himself silently as he reached for the cloth he dropped and continued to try and clean the wound. A good sign that presented itself to him was that the wound had stopped bleeding, but then her eyes slipped closed again causing his heart to skip a beat.

Steve and Natasha returned to the Quinjet not long after Bucky had brought Margo inside and cleaned her up. Natasha resorted to stay in the front with Clint and man the guns just in case they ran against any unwanted guests. Steve walked carefully towards Bucky and the unconscious Margo, he was careful with his footing as he felt the Quinjet take off beneath his feet. "How's she doing Buck?" Steve asked concerned as he sat next to his best friend and studied the star laying on the bed completely still. "I… I don't know Steve. You know that she doesn't have a heart so I couldn't check for a pulse, there isn't one. The bleeding's stopped, but she opened her eyes and her irises were shining golden then she closed her eyes again and hasn't moved since" Bucky explained running his flesh hand through his long hair. "She'll be fine Buck. I was like you the first time it happened around me, but she goes into this stasis that she called her "Healing incantation". The gold in her eyes was probably the heated cells in her body taking over and healing her wound up for her, it's weird I know, but you'll get used to it" Steve explained and placed a hand on his best friend's shoulder. "I guess it only makes me mad that she did that for me. She took a bullet for me Steve and she shouldn't have" Bucky started, but was silenced by Natasha who had come back to check on Margo. "The one who loves you will never leave you. Bucky even if there are a hundred reasons for her to give up on you, Margo would always find one reason to hang on. She did that because it was her choice to" Natasha answered giving Bucky a concerned look. "Yeah, well I still think that it was my fault that she got hurt. That soldier knew who I was and he was gonna shoot me, but she jumped in front of me" Bucky answered and gently took her limp hand in his. "Buck if you still respect her and love her like I know you do then you won't blame yourself for this, she'll be ok and she'll probably wake up in a few days completely healthy as ever" Steve said nudging his friend before slowly standing and walking towards the front of the Quinjet. Natasha didn't say another word because she knew that for once the silence spoke for itself, the air was now littered with a new type of worry for the wounded star that was in her healing coma. She gave Bucky one last look of confidence before she exited the area and followed Steve, leaving the Soldier to his lover's side.

~Flashback~

Brooklyn, New York  
April 12th, 1933

 _He absolutely hated himself. James was lying in the spare bed that Sarah had allowed him to sleep in until his arm was completely healed. Heaven forbid that he stay at his apartment a few floors up. Then again he was somewhat thankful for the change because he loved his siblings, he did, but three of them would probably make it harder for him to heal. He felt terrible because he couldn't really help his ma take care of 'em, but that was the Doctor's orders. He sat up carefully and leaned his back against the wall next to the bed. He looked up at the ceiling as he contemplated how he got himself into this mess, but then he thought about another reason why he was lucky to be Bucky. His crush and best friend since the second grade was coming over like she did every day to take care of him while Sarah was at work and Stevie was at school getting the work they missed. What more could a dingy like him want than that? Well it kinda helped that she entertained him and helped bathe him when Sarah was out. The hard part was actually growing the balls to say anything to her about his real feelings. He really didn't want to screw up their friendship, yet his heart would be longing to hold her in his arms like they do on the silver screens._

 _Finally he heard her voice talking with Sarah and Stevie. He felt his heart race as he used his good arm to stand himself up and then hold his blanket around his moderate frame. Bucky trudged down the hallway towards the living room where he had heard Steve beg his Ma to stay with Margo and himself that day instead of going to school alone. He smiled at his friend's bravery "Eh Stevie go an' make us proud huh?" He said as he walked into the room and then gave his best friend a sleepy smile. "Hey Sleepy head I didn't know you were up" Margo said seeing him and smiling a little. "Had ta see Stevie off Doll" He smirked and patted Steve's shoulder with his good hand. "Alright I'll go, but you two better be here when I get back" Steve pouted and headed out the door. "Where would we go punk?" Bucky called after him and chuckled. "C'mon Buck let's getcha somethin ta eat" Margo said with a confident smile and lead him into the kitchen. "Bucky don't you cause Margo any trouble ya here?" Sarah called from the front door as she walked out. "Yes Ma'am" He called from the kitchen and sat down at the kitchen table._

" _You're such a child Barnes" Margo groaned playfully as the two of them raced to the bathroom so that Bucky could get his bi-weekly bath. "You let me win didn't cha?" Bucky asked, he skid to a stop in the bathroom and sat down on the toilet. "Maybe… didn't want to bruise your ego or use my powers today cause I'm a bit lazy today" Margo said leaning against the bathtub. "Aren't we the kind one today?" Bucky asked and his voice was dripping with sarcasm. "That I am since you're my patient. Now let me know when you're decent so I can turn back around and help ya wash your back and your hair huh?" Margo asked as she turned away from him and let him get himself undressed. After a moment Bucky slipped into the water with a small splash, but was careful not to get his cast wet. "Alright Margo I'm decent" Bucky announced shyly. Margo nodded and carefully walked over to him sitting down on a small wooden stool. "I wonder how Stevie's doing right now" Margo said trying to make some small talk as she took a small wash rag and began to wash his bare back. She blushed as she did so causing Bucky to smirk at her "I'm sure he's in art class about now. Say are you blushin' Miss Whitty?" He teased looking up at her for an answer. "N-no of course not, that'd be silly" Margo retorted confidently and then grabbed the shampoo so that she could wash his hair. "Sure say whatcha wanna say doll face" Bucky laughed and closed his eyes as she ran her hands through his hair._

 _After Bucky dried himself off he trudged to the guest bedroom where he was staying so that he could get changed into fresh clothes. As he dressed himself he thought about his request to dance with Margo. He would dance with her any day, no matter what the circumstances were, why? Because it gave him the excuse to hold her in his arms. Sure he knew that she was reluctant because she was afraid to hurt him, but he loved to hold her close to him. As soon as he pulled on his suspenders he meandered back into the living room to see Margo pouring over notes and studying a book like she always was. Personally he thought it was adorable because she was pretty damn smart for a dame, but he loved to tease her about it at times like friends do. "Look who's over workin' now doll face?" Bucky asked raising an eyebrow at her. Margo rolled her eyes at him and slammed the book shut. "I was working on Romeo and Juliet notes" She answered and watched as Bucky walked towards her. "Ah ya mean the story of our lives? Romeo, oh Romeo, where art thou?" Bucky recited mockingly as he tried to reach the high pitch of a girl voice. "You're lucky that you're my best friend or else I'd hit cha with this book in the back of then head ya tease!" Margo snapped and placed her notes on the coffee table. "C'mon Doll ya know ya love me, anyways Nursey ya owe me a dance remember?" he chuckled holding out his unbroken hand to her. "Fine my dear patient, but cha gotta promise me ta help me work on the play an' our literature notes afterwards" Margo answered standing and giving him her hand. "I promise Margo" He said happily knowing he'd won the argument._

 _~End of Flashback~_

The Quinjet landed at Avengers Manor again when the sun was just rising in the east. Steve had alerted Bruce and the medical team of Margo's wounds before they landed so when the ramp slowly lowered they were standing with a gurney. Bucky carefully carried her out and placed her on the gurney and watched them race away with her. The super solider wanted to follow them, he wanted to be by her side, but a part of him knew that it was in her best interest if he let them do their work to save her. Steve gave his friend a comforting look as he walked out of the Quinjet and stood beside him. "Give it a few hours Buck and then you can go and check on her" Steve said softly watching with his best friend as the medical team vanished down the corridor. After a moment of silence between the four teammates they began making their way back to the meeting room where Fury was waiting with the mission debrief. Bucky was silent as they walked down the corridor, his body was there, but his mind was elsewhere in the stars or thinking about his star. He knew that he'd have to trust Doctor Banner and their medical expertise for now.

When the team reached the conference room Nick Fury was waiting along with Agent Hill. Steve and Bucky took to Nick's left while Natasha and Clint sat on his right, all of them looking ahead at him. "Captain Rogers report" Maria said firmly as she stood at the front with Nick and turned on the screen. "Mission was successful Director although we had a slight casualty. Agent Whitty was injured majorly, but the wound was not in any form deadly. Agent Barnes has the chip and can recollect what happened for the record" Steve explained turning to his friend. Bucky looked a bit uncomfortable with his current position, but of course complied with the task. Bucky presented Maria with the flash-drive device that he used to collect the data and then wipe it from the computers. "This was the same programming that they used to create Agent Knight-Banner. We were able to get the data and then destroy the computer, but a Hydra soldier recognized me when he caught us in the lab. Agent Whitty was doing her duty to protect me from a bullet that supposed to kill me sir" Bucky spoke with a blank look in his eyes. Maria carefully took the device from Bucky's metal hand and then proceeded to place it into the computer so that some of the results would begin to show on the screen. "As you can see this was why we needed this data. Wanda and Amy are only a few of the human products that came from this project. Wanda of course was more of an enhanced human, but Amy was created completely" Fury explained showing video files of the experimentation.

On the screen there was suddenly a video of a Hydra team brainwashing Bucky with their special machine. "Agent Hill I believe that showing this isn't wise" Fury warned seeing the unease that spread across the four heroes in the room. Maria nodded and quickly turned off the screen so that the torture was no longer visible. "I didn't know that they had you on that project to Buck" Steve said solemnly as he and the others looked down the table at Bucky. "I was the first Steve. They experimented on me in Azzano when I was captured…for the longest I didn't know what they did to me" He answered though his voice sounded hollow as he tried to hold up the composure he was trained to hold. "It's over now because of your two, you and Margo did a brave thing today Buck" Steve said giving his friend a serious look. Bucky nodded slightly waiting to be excused so that he could just focus his attention on the only good thing to think about right now, Margo. "Agent Barnes you're dismissed. Please tell Agent Whitty that both of you have earned some rest. Report back in two weeks" Director Fury said after the tension began to settle again. Bucky nodded again in affirmative before slowly getting out of his seat. "Thank you Director" He said softly and then without any further thoughts he left the conference room, determined to see his girl.

~ 6 hours later ~

Margo slowly opened her blue eyes only to find that it was a mistake. The bright light caused her to wince and let out a hiss in pain. She blinked a few times so that she could focus on the objects around her, that's when she noticed Bucky slumped over in a chair beside her bedside. The super soldier was sleeping soundly, but then she felt something cold against her hand. Margo looked down to see Bucky's metal hand gripping hers tightly. She smiled lovingly at the man that had been her side for who knew how long now. He had been the last thing she had seen before she had went into her coma and now the first thing that she had seen when she woke up. Margo gently took her other hand and brushed a few stray bangs away from his worn and tired face, she could still see the worry lines that marked his forehead. "He's probably gonna kill me when he wakes up" She whispered to herself weakly.

Suddenly she felt the other stir beneath her light touch and she quickly pulled back from him. "You're damn right sweetheart" Bucky mumbled sternly. "B-Bucky?" Margo asked cautiously seeing the frown on his face slowly fade away and turn into a smile. She was expecting him to leave her in there alone, but instead he stood up and leaned over wrapping his arms around her carefully. "Glad ta have ya back Doll" He said softly as he hugged her and buried his face in the crook of her neck. Margo blushed a little and lightly stroked his hair for a moment before he slowly pulled back to look at her. "Doll I think that it's the guy that's supposed ta take a bullet for his woman, not the opposite way round" He chuckled softly looking into her beautiful blue eyes with his own tired grey ones. Margo giggled a little knowing that he was referring to her injury. "Babe I'd take a bullet for ya always" she said softly and gently rested a hand onto his shoulder. "Well don't make it a habit ok, you scared the shit outta me" Bucky admitted looking over his shoulder to make sure no one else was in the room. "Alright fine, but I'm not making any promises" Margo said jokingly. Bucky turned back towards her with a serious look on his face. "I mean it Margo, I love you and I don't ever want to lose you again. Seventy years without you is enough I don't want a lifetime" Bucky answered sternly as he leaned closer to her. Their lips were only inches apart and their gaze was locked on each other. "I love you to James. I don't ever want to lose you either, it broke me when you fell that day…" Margo spoke, but was cut off by Bucky pressing his lips to hers. The first kiss in almost a century felt like the universe was stopping just to give them this moment. Their lips moved in perfect sync with each other and it wasn't hungry or rushed. This kiss was soft and meaningful, a kiss of longing and love. Bucky soon broke away because the need for oxygen had clouded their minds, but his gaze never left hers. "T-that was…that was amazing" Margo whispered and then pressed her lips to his again for another quick kiss. "I agree…that felt so right Margo, damn why didn't I do that earlier?" Bucky asked no one in particular. "I don't know, but I do know that I've been waiting so long for that" Margo chuckled and kissed his nose softly. Bucky smirked and nuzzled her softly. "You and me both doll face" he chuckled and lightly took his flesh hand and ran it through her hair. "By the way Fury told me to say that he congratulates both of us for successfully bringing in the data and he has given both of us two weeks to be off duty" Bucky said softly as he sat on the edge of the bed. "That sounds so good… some time to make up for lost time eh?" Margo asked softly and then proceeded to try and scoot over so that he could lay with her. "Definitely Doll. Now you get some rest and I'll go get us something to eat" Bucky said softly and leaned in giving her lips another soft kiss. "Wait, don't you want to cuddle with me? You need the rest to ya know" Margo suggested as he pulled away again. "Nah, we can do that when you get released from here Ok? I promise, I just want you to take it easy right now" Bucky said softly and gently took her hand in his flesh one. "Alright darling if you insist" Margo answered softly and watched as he placed a soft kiss to each knuckle. "I'll be back in a few minutes, I'm gonna get us some food while Steve comes in to see ya. I know this isn't the romantic candlelit dinner that I wanted to share for our first date in seven decades, but until ya get better it'll have to do" He joked and reluctantly let go of her hand. She chuckled softly and watched him go to the door of her room. "It doesn't matter my love, I'm happy to just have you safe and have you back" Margo smiled at him and gave a little wave. "Good 'cause I'm back and I'm never leaving ya again" He called over his shoulder and then disappeared down the corridor.

Margo closed her eyes for a moment and laid back, her lips still tingling with the feeling of his lips. If she had to be honest with herself she would have to say that he was officially her drug, but now more than ever she was lucky. Margo felt so lucky to have what she could get of her old lover back. To Margo he was always gonna be Bucky Barnes, the boy from Brooklyn that every girl wanted, but only she had the pleasure of winning in the end. She knew she wouldn't be so excited to hear an ear full from Steve about getting shot, but for once she was prepared for it.


End file.
